A Valediction Forbidding Mourning
by Shadowed Treasure
Summary: Loki has to leave, but Sigyn doesn't want him to. Slightly based on the poem by John Donne.


OK I've really become obsessed with the Sigyn/Loki pairing, to the point where I felt the need to write my own oneshot. This is based on John Donne's poem "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning". It's a good poem, google it. It starts to no make sense at the end because I got a little sleep deprived, but I'm putting it up anyway. This is set some time before the movie. I own nothing, as you all know.

…

Sigyn sat perfectly still on the end of the bed, Loki's helmet in her lap. She held herself with dignity, her back straight and her feet on the floor with one ankle tucked gracefully behind the other. Her eyes were fixed on the floor while she stroked his helmet as if it were her pet and not some ridiculous piece of headgear. Loki couldn't understand how someone could look so regal yet so timid at the same time.

He glanced at her reflection in the mirror. She wore a silver dress today. It was strapless and corseted with a flowing floor-length skirt, as was the fashion for women of her age in Asgard. Her loose golden curls cascaded down her back, falling over her shoulders and partially covering her face. She made no attempt to push it back or even put it up, which gave Loki the feeling that she did not want him to see her face. A small frown grew on his face.

"Sigyn" He said, doing up the last of the buckles on his armour and turning to face his wife. Her gaze shifted to the other side of the room, hiding her face from him entirely.

Loki gave a small silent laugh at his wife's attempt to hide her emotions from him. He walked over to the bed and knelt down beside her. "Sigyn" He repeated softly, placing a hand on her knee. "Sigyn, look at me."

The young woman slowly turned back to face her husband. The minute she did Loki understood why she had been trying to conceal herself. Sigyn's crystal blue eyes were filled with unshed tears, her face vividly expressing the pain and sadness she was trying to desperately to hide from him. Just seeing her like this made him want to cry.

"I don't want you to leave." She whispered, trying to keep her voice steady.

A sad smile replaced his frown as he raised his hands to cup her face. This was the first time since their marriage that they were to be truly separated. "I know you don't. I do not wish to leave either, you know. But Father… he requests that both Thor and I accompany him, he sees this trip as a way to achieve peace between the realms-"

"If it doesn't kill you first!" She pushed Loki aside and stood up, walking to the other side of the room. She still held his helmet in her arms, clutching it the way a small child would a teddy bear.

He rose to his feet and hesitantly tried to approach her, surprised by her sudden change of mood. "The chance of _any_ of us getting injured is _extremely _unlikely…."

"But still possible. Loki, you can call this what you want; a mission of peace, a fight for justice, anything. In the end you are still _going to battle_!" She was almost screaming at him as a stray tear fell down her face.

Loki moved towards her, this time she made no attempt to run away or hide. He lifted the helmet out of her arms and sat it on the table. "I know." He sighed, pulling her close and wiping away the tear. "But I will return, I won't be injured, and I _definitely _won'tdie" He gave a soft chuckle at the idea of actually dying from this trip. "This is a venture for peace, but I will not lie to you, we will most probably have to fight."

"Can't I come with you?" she asked

"You most definitely cannot." He laughed, picking up his helmet and moving back towards the mirror.

Sigyn followed him "And why not? I've gone into battle before; I've helped my people fight." She stood behind him with her hands on her hips, her sadness slowly being replaced with annoyance.

"Maybe" He said as he fixed his helmet upon his head "But that was before we were married. You are the princess of Asgard now and you have to act like it."

"So? I was of noble birth before I married you and my people allowed me to fight." She crossed her arms and positioned herself so that she was in his line of view. "Lady Sif fights."

Loki laughed. "Sif is not a princess of Asgard."

"Not _yet_." Sigyn pointed out slyly. There was a small smile on her face as she recalled the rumours she had heard about Thor and Sif's relationship. She knew they were just rumours but they were still very amusing, especially to her husband.

"Well Sif is not _my_ princess. And I don't want my princess doing anything where she could be even the slightest of danger." Loki wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his forehead on hers.

"So that's how you view me is it? I'm just an object you own and don't want broken?" She asked teasingly, sliding her arms around his neck.

Loki smiled. "And don't you forget it."

…

The couple stood silently as the rest of Odin's army said goodbye to their loved ones. They were gathered outside the palace, ready to head down the rainbow bridge to the Bifrost. Sigyn had already said goodbye to the friends that were to accompany her husband on this trip: Thor, Lady Sif and the warriors three. They were all gathered a few metres away, waiting for Loki to join them, occasionally yelling out a suggestive remark to the couple that would make Sigyn laugh and Loki groan.

Loki was not quite sure what to do, he was not very comfortable with public displays of emotion and there were so many people here. He found this quite nerve-racking. He never had any problem with _showing_ her affection in public, always happy to make her squeal or laugh inappropriately whenever they were with a crowd of people, but actually telling her how he felt, that was… different. Especially here in this kind of crowd, a crowd of brutish masculine warriors who would probably spend the rest of the journey tormenting him for showing his love for his wife. Loki searched for words to say to her, but she seemed to find them first.

"It's not too late to change your mind" she told him "You could still stay, I could still go..."

"For the last time, you are not coming with me and I cannot stay here." He laughed. Sigyn smiled but he could see the tears forming in her eyes again. "Come now, don't cry my love. Not here in front of everyone."

"Why not?" she said hotly, trying to fight her sadness with anger.

"Because" He said, pulling her into his arms. "Do you really wish to appear selfish or weak in front of all these men? Look around you my dear, these men willing risk their lives in battle everyday as part of their job and never complain. They spend half their lives away from their loved ones. Do you really wish to mock their choice by crying over a temporary parting?"

Sigyn pulled away, slightly insulted by his condescending tone. "You don't want me to embarrass you."

"No, that's… That's not what I meant. I-I'm sorry Sigyn, I did not mean to insult you." He told her, stumbling over his words. Loki was always amazed by the affect this girl had on him. Usually he was able to spin lies quickly and intricately enough to please everyone around him, but with her his sliver tongue might as well been made out of lead. "I… I just do not want you to be sad. I hate seeing you this way. And you have to remember that this separation is only temporary."

"I've heard that separation can do horrible things to a relationship."

"If there is a couple out there whose love cannot last through a temporary goodbye then they are not really in love" He told her "Or at least, not as in love as we are."

"Well that's arrogant of you." She laughed at him as he wrapped his arms around her once more. Sigyn sighed and rested her head on Loki's shoulder "Despite how strong you claim our love is I still do not wish to be parted from you."

"Then don't think of this as a separation." He joked "Think of this as a way to expand the bonds of the magic that tie us together. Its strength needs to be tested anyway."

"Oh yes, the eternally lasting magic of Odin that binds us together needs to be tested." She snorted sarcastically. It was incredibly unladylike she didn't seem to care.

The crowd slowly started moving. The civilians separated from the army and made their way back to their homes as the warriors prepared to head for the Bifrost. Loki heard Thor call for him but wasn't listening to what he was saying.

"It's time to go." He told her, unwillingly pulling out of her grasp. He watched the smile on her face fade as he started to walk away.

He had only walked a few steps when something inside him had told him to stop. Turning to face her again he cupped her face gently in his hands. "I promise you I will be back, there is nothing in all the realms that could keep me from returning to you." He leaned forward and planted a tender kiss on her lips. "Whatever happens, don't doubt that I love you."

…

Well it kind of lost direction in the second half but there you go. Tell me what you guys think, I accept all kinds of reviews. I am going to write a sigyn/loki fic but not until I finish the piece I'm currently working on (which may take a while seeing as I lack any kind of motivation).


End file.
